UA Date: 18 March 2006
UA Title: Another Hacienda Luisita labor leader shot dead in Tarlac
UA Case: Summary Execution
Victim/s: Tirso Cruz
· 33 years old, married
· Male
· A resident of Barangay Pando, Concepcion, Tarlac , Philippines
· Board of Director, United Luisita Workers Union (ULWU)
· Barangay Council Member of Barangay Pando, Concepcion, Tarlac, Philippines
Place of Incident: Barangay Pando, Concepcion, Tarlac, Philippines
Date of Incident: 17 March 2006 at around 12:30 am
Allege Perpetrators: armed motorcycle-riding men, believed to be elements of the 71st Infantry Battalion
of the Philppine Army (IBPA)
Account of Incident -
* More than two months after the labor dispute involving the United Luisita Workers Union (ULWU) was resolved, one of its labor leaders Tirso Cruz was shot and killed on Friday, 17 March.
The victim was walking home after attending a pabasa or Lenten reading of the Passion of Christ from a Roman Catholic Church near his home when some motorcycle-riding men passed by, shot him and left him dead. Tirso, incurred six gunshot wounds in different parts of his body.
The victim is the 14th Hacienda Luisita martyr. He has received numerous death threats during the strike last year up to the time of his death, ULWU president Rene Galang said Cruz is actively involved in protests against the construction of the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway project [SCTEP] and the deployment of soldiers inside the hacienda.
During the last few days, he led union members and residents in "people power" protests calling for the withdrawal of soldiers inside the hacienda and for the SCTEP construction to stop.
Galang said hacienda residents are protesting the quarrying operations by contractors of the SCTEP in Barangay Asturias and soldiers are being used to stop the protests.
According to Galang about 50 Cafgu (Citizens' Armed Force Geographical Units) members and soldiers from the 71 st ID under Gen. Jovito Palparan are deployed in Barangay Pando and are presently using the management office in the barangay as their headquarters. The soldiers are being used to stop the protests..
*(source: inq7.com and gitnang luson news service/bulatlat.com)
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Send letters, emails or fax messages calling for:
1. The immediate formation of an independent fact-finding and investigation team composed of representatives from human rights groups, the Church, local government, and the Commission on Human Rights that will look into the summary execution of Tirso Cruz.
2. The arrest and prosecution of the perpetrators of the crime/s of summary execution.
3. The immediate and proper indemnification of the victims; and
4. The Philippine Government to be reminded that it is a signatory to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and that it is also a party to all the major Human Rights instruments, thus it is bound to observe all of its provisions.
You may send your communications to:
President of the Republic
Malacanang Palace,
JP Laurel St. , San Miguel
Manila Philippines
Voice: (+632) 564 1451 to 80
Fax: (+632) 742-1641 / 929-3968
Cell#: (+ 63) 919 898 4622 / (+63) 917 839 8462
E-mail: corres@op.gov.ph / opnet@ops.gov.ph
Hon. Rene V. Sarmiento
*Office of the Peace Process
7th Floor Agustin Building I
Emerald Avenue
Pasig City 1605
Voice:+63 (2) 636 0701 to 066
Mobile :
Fax:+63 (2) 635 9579
Hon. Avelino J. Cruz,
Jr.
Secretary
Room 301 DND Building, Camp Emilio Aguinaldo,
E. de los Santos Avenue
Quezon City
Voice:+63(2) 911-9281 / 911-0488
Fax:+63(2) 911 6213
osnd@philonline.com
Hon. Raul M. Gonzalez
Secretary, Department of Justice
Padre Faura St., Manila
Direct Line 521-8344;
5213721
Trunkline 523-84-81 loc.214
Fax: (+632) 521-1614
Email sad@doj.gov.ph
Chairperson, Commission on Human Rights
SAAC Bldg., UP Complex
Commonwealth Avenue
Diliman, Quezon City
Philippines
Fax: (+632) 929 0102
Email: drpvq@chr.gov.ph
Please send us a copy of your email/mail/fax to the said government official to our address below.
URGENT ACTION Prepared by:
KARAPATAN ( Alliance for the Advancement of People's Rights)-National Office
34 Maamo St. Sikatuna Village, Quezon City 1100 PHILIPPINES
Voice/Fax: (+632) 435 4146
Emails: < karapatan@tri-isys.com> / karapatan@edsamail.com.ph / karapatan.pid@gmail.com
Website: www.karapatan.org